Badass China is Building a Futuristic ‘Forest City’ That Fights Air Pollution

China has started developing the world’s first “Forest City,” which aims to combat pollution by generating geothermal and solar energy for self-sufficiency.

The city, designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti, comes to life in Liuzhou, Guangxi Province. It is expected to be completed in 2020.

Photo via Stefano Boeri Architetti

As per Inhabitat, the 175-hectare settlement will be covered in one million plants — of more than 100 species — and 40,000 trees, all at work to absorb 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide, 57 tons of pollutants and produce 900 tons of oxygen per year.

Photo via Stefano Boeri Architetti

The city, commissioned by Liuzhou Municipality Urban Planning, will be home to some 30,000 residents, who may travel to and from Liuzhou via a fast rail line for electric cars.

Photo via Stefano Boeri Architetti

On top of residential complexes, there will be commercial and recreational areas in the city, including two schools and a hospital.

“The diffusion of plants, not only in the parks and gardens or along the streets, but also over building facades, will allow the energy self-sufficient city to contribute to improve the air quality (absorbing both CO2 and fine dust of 57 tons per year), to decrease the average air temperature, to create noise barriers and to improve the biodiversity of living species, generating the habitat for birds, insects and small animals that inhabit the Liuzhou territory.”

Photo via Stefano Boeri Architetti

The construction of the “Forest City” in Liuzhou is only one of China’s initiatives to solve its pollution crisis. Most recently, the country launched five “green finance” pilot zones that aim to promote and fund a 3 trillion yuan ($440 billion) war on pollution, Futurism noted.